Hull Names a Ship's Body and a Seed's Husk
A hull is the body of a ship. The same word names the outer covering of a seed or fruit.
A hull is the main body of a ship, and also the outer covering of a seed or fruit. Both come from Old English *hulu*, a husk or pod — the idea is a shell enclosing a contents, whether grain or cargo. To *hull* strawberries is to remove the green top, using the word in its older sense. *Hull down* is a naval term for a ship so distant that only its masts show above the horizon, which gives a rough measure of range.
- A ship's body. *A steel hull.*
- A seed's husk. *Hull the strawberries.*
- Hull down — only masts visible. *Hull down.*
- Husk — a related idea. *A husk.*
- Old English — *hulu*, a husk. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | hull | A hull. |
| Plural | hulls | Hulls. |
| Verb | hull | Hulling. |
| Related | husk | A husk. |
| Old English | hulu | A husk. |
- The hull was holed below the line.Ship.
- Hull the strawberries first.Cooking.
- She was hull down by dusk.Naval.
Why hull down matters
- The Earth's curve hides a ship's body before its masts
- Seeing masts only means the ship is beyond a known distance
- Lookouts used it to estimate range without instruments
- Height of eye changes the figure, so the crow's nest sees further
- Tank crews borrowed the term for using terrain as cover
Old English *hulu*, a husk or pod, from a root meaning to cover.
Are the ship's hull and a seed hull the same word?
Yes. Both come from Old English hulu, a husk, sharing the idea of a shell enclosing contents.
What does hull down mean?
That a ship is far enough away for the Earth's curve to hide its body, leaving only the masts visible.